Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 70.15
Liaison Kelly Wellman
Submission Date Dec. 19, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Texas A&M University
OP-22: Water Use

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Nathan Jones
Manager, Water & Envrionmental Services
Utilities & Energy Management
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Level of ”Physical Risk QUANTITY” for the institution’s main campus as indicated by the World Resources Institute’s Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas:
Low

Total water use (potable and non-potable combined):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water use 1,723,296,000 Gallons 3,462,000,000 Gallons

Potable water use:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use 1,003,080,000 Gallons 1,731,000,000 Gallons

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year Sept. 1, 2018 Aug. 31, 2019
Baseline Year Sept. 1, 1990 Aug. 31, 1991

A brief description of when and why the water use baseline was adopted:

The 1991 baseline represents the end of a relative flat usage trend when water conservation measures were being considered and instituted. The water use trend has been downward since even with the increase in enrollment and occupied square footage on the campus due to the improvements made beginning in 1991.


Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users":
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 11,243 10,814
Number of employees resident on-site 224 172
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 62 4
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 59,010 41,171
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 8,942 7,000
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 1,112 0
Weighted campus users 53,058.75 38,878.75

Potable water use per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per weighted campus user 18,905.08 Gallons 44,523.04 Gallons

Percentage reduction in potable water use per weighted campus user from baseline:
57.54

Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area 28,900,146 Gross square feet 12,526,000 Gross square feet

Potable water use per unit of floor area:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Potable water use per unit of floor area 34.71 Gallons per square foot 138.19 Gallons per square foot

Percentage reduction in potable water use per unit of floor area from baseline:
74.88

Does the institution wish to pursue Part 3 of this credit? (reductions in total water use per acre/hectare of vegetated grounds):
Yes

Area of vegetated grounds:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Vegetated grounds 2,810 Acres 3,500 Acres

Total water use (potable + non-potable) per unit of vegetated grounds:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total water use per unit of vegetated grounds 613,272.60 Gallons per acre 989,142.86 Gallons per acre

Percentage reduction in total water use per unit of vegetated grounds from baseline:
38.00

A brief description of the institution's water-related behavior change initiatives, e.g. initiatives to shift individual attitudes and practices such as signage and competitions:
---

A brief description of the institution's water recovery and reuse initiatives:

TAMU uses between 9 and 12 million gallons of treated wastewater effluent each year for local irrigation and equipment washdown at our Main Campus Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Six buildings currently use harvested rainwater.


A brief description of the institution's initiatives to replace plumbing fixtures, fittings, appliances, equipment, and systems with water-efficient alternatives (e.g. building retrofits):

Since 1993 the university's policy is to install the latest water conserving fixtures in any newly constructed or renovated facility.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.